As We See It

a lost generation of architects?

There has been some encouraging news from architectural firms lately about work picking up a bit. But for young associates laid off during the recession, prospects for employment in the field still look shaky. For new graduates looking for their first office gig, the outlook is even bleaker. The situation is bad enough that it's now drawing attention from outside the profession.

For some hard numbers, though, check out the chart at the bottom of this story. Architecture leads all the academic disciplines listed in unemployment. But as the figures make clear, experience and an advanced degree make a difference. For those holding a recent graduate degree in architecture, the unemployment rate is 7.7 percent. Not great, to be sure, but it still beats the national average. If I had a kid in architecture school, I would be nervous (and encouraging her or him to hang in there for the MArch), but I would also focus on the 92.3 percent who are finding work in their profession.--b.d.s.